Coast Guard rescues merchant ship off Mumbai coast

Mumbai: The Coast Guard (CG) rescued a
merchant ship, which reported flooding on-board, off the
Mumbai coast, saving lives of 28 crew members including six
foreigners.

The vessel MV Khalijia-3, fully loaded with steel coils,
was sailing to Mumbai from China when at around 8.45 pm
yesterday the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre here
received a call informing flooding on-board, CG officials
said.

The CG`s fast patrol ship Subhadra Kumari Chauhan was
immediately sent with adequate repair facilities, submersible
pumps and divers to extend help to the ship, they said.

As the flooded ship tilted one side, the crew stood on
other side when the fast patrol ship reached near the merchant
vessel and all 28 crew members including six foreigners were
rescued during six hour rescue operation, they added.

The reason for the flooding on-board is yet to be
ascertained, the officials said.

The CG`s specialised pollution response team and advanced
offshore patrol vessel with pollution response equipment were
also kept standby to meet the requirement in case of oil
pollution following the incident. The merchant ship was towed
to safer waters, the officials said.